Bioactive components from Ficus glomerata

Different parts of the plant Ficus glomerata Roxob was extracted with water and organic solvents. The effects of these extracts on blood sugar level of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats were studied. The pet ether extract of the stem bark of the plant reduced the blood sugar level significantly. Extracts from fruit and latex of the plant did not have any significant effect on blood sugar level of these diabetic rats. The pet ether extract of the stem bark completely inhibited the enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and arginase and activated the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from rat liver. Extracts from fruit and latex inhibited only glucose-6-phosphatase but not arginase from rat liver. A number of components from pet ether extract of the stem bark were isolated and purified. The effect of these purified components on pure enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were investigated. The chemical characterisation of some of these components were carried out. Introduction A large number of plants belonging to different families posses hypoglycemic activity. Hypoglycemic activity of Momordica charanria or karella (Cucurbitacea) has been reported by Ram(1) in 1950. Mirakami and co-workers in 1985 reported the isolation of hypoglycemic agents from Panax jinseng roots@). Medicinal values of different parts of the plant Ficus glomerata Roxob (Moraceae) have been reported in various Iiteratures(3-5). Baslas and Agha(6) in (1988) reported that a component P-sitosterol-D-glucoside from the stem bark of F. glomerata posseses hypoglycemic property(6). In diabetes, activity of some enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphatase,fructose 1,6diphosphatase and arginase increases in the liver(7-9). Besides, activity of the enzymes like phosphofructo kinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreases in the liver(l0,ll). This project was undertaken to investigate the mechanism of hypoglycemic action of various plant parts of F. glomerata Roxob. The in vitro effect of the hypoglycemic principle on enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and arginase has been investigated. Some of the active principles were isolated, purified and their action on pure enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were carried out. Methods and Materials Three parts of the plant f. glomerata Roxob, stem bark, fruits and latex were sun dried powdered and were extracted with petroleum ether 60-800 The extracts were dried under vacuum. Forty eight long Evans male rats weighing between 200-25Og and aged 100-150 days were used in the experiments. The rats were divided into four groups. Two groups were made diabetic while two other groups were kept normal. Diabetes was introduced by streptozotocin treatment. Blood glucose level was estimated by Nelson-somogy method(l2,13). The extract l g was mixed with normal diet and fed to the rats for 10 days. The control group of rats were given normal diet without the plant extract. Blood was collected by